


My Scary Punk Ghost

by Rainboq



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Humor, Ghost Chloe, Haunting, Implied Ghost Sex, Post-Save Arcadia Bay Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:20:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24852979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainboq/pseuds/Rainboq
Summary: Max made her choice and gave Chloe up.Chloe wasn't quite done with her.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price
Comments: 15
Kudos: 65





	My Scary Punk Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> [This piece is inspired by this wonderful art by Nikki67,](https://www.deviantart.com/nikki-67/art/Life-is-Strange-fanart-844560570) and a reddit comment by /u/chazzstrong.

I regret it.

I regret giving her up for all those people. I know it was the ‘right’ thing to do, every single thing on ethics I could find has told me that.

Fuck the right thing to do.

I miss her. I’ll always miss her, she deserved so much more than that insane week together. That I had to chose in the first place was fucking bullshit. That I still have my power is even more bullshit. Every day I stare at that stupid photo of that stupid bucket and that stupid butterfly and consider going back and doing it again. And then I see her, sitting across from me and shaking her head. Ever since the funeral I’ve seen her.

I’m not entirely sure if she’s a product of my broken brain or if she’s like that doe in the junkyard. I promised that I’d never forget about her, but I don’t think I meant it quite so literally. She’s always there, messing around with something, being distracting, brooding, just… being her. My blue haired mess. The last time Warren tried to talk to me, she stood behind him, making gagging faces and mock choking. The whole experience made it difficult to turn down his repeat offers to go out to the drive in with a serious expression.

I tried to talk to Kate about how I’m seeing her everywhere. As usual I was naïve and thought she’d understand. Instead she just… kind of freaked out on me and I had to take the whole conversation back. Chloe looked pretty hurt after the whole conversation too, like she can remember everything after my rewinds.

Figures she’d try to haunt me anyways. I always did need her by my side to get things done, and now she always is. I’d just appreciate it if she’d stop making those gestures and ogling me while I shower, or if she could talk. Maybe that’ll come later? She started off pretty out of it, then she started putting her arm through things, falling through the floor and stuff. Then all the silliness started.

“I can’t believe we got paired for this project, what the hell does Ms. Brown think she’s doing putting me in with hipster trash.”

I tried to come up with a nice, charitable response to try and get through to that nice Victoria from the party that never happened. Chloe doesn’t make it easy; she's busy licking through her V'ed fingers behind Victoria. “I-I’m sure we can figure this project out.”

“Fuck, whatever. What the hell is with that look? You sure you’re up for classes, I don’t want to fail because you have another fucking freakout.”

“I-I’ll be fine! I’ve been good all week…”

“You sure about that? You look like you’re seeing a fucking ghost or something.”

 _At least she’s trying to be nice to me?_ “I-It’s still… hard but…”

“You weren’t the only one that shit was hard on.” Chloe glared at Victoria now, and swished her fists through the Queen Bitch’s head. All she did was make it harder for me to keep a straight face.

“I’ll be fine, seriously. If there’s an issue I’m sure she’ll give us an extension.”

Victoria just rolled her eyes and marched off with the end of class bell. My head hit the desk and I groaned softly. _You are fucking impossible Chloe._

_“I’m a fucking ghost! Of fucking course I’m going to mess with EVERYTHING.”_

My entire body jerked upright and I stared at her with wide eyes. _Did… did she just talk?_

_“Holy shit! You can hear me?!”_

I swallow, eyes darting around as everyone files out. _Freak out later, get out of the classroom now._

_“Solid plan, Super Max.”_

As quickly as I can without meaning to look like I’m rushing I start piling my stuff back into my bag, carefully cradling William’s camera into it’s padded resting place. As I try to hurry without looking like it out the door, Kate stops me. _Shit._

Chloe hovers above Kate, mocking resting her chin on her bun and grinning. “Hello Max, are you doing okay?”

“H-hey Kate… I’m… doing better than I was.”

_“Damn right, now I can talk!”_

“That’s so very good to hear Max. You look… a little freaked out, are you sure you’re okay?”

I nod as emphatically as I can to avoid looking at Chloe and her shit eating grin. “I’ll be fine… Just being around Victoria is…”

“I know what you mean Max. Would you like me to walk with you to your dorm?”

“T-thanks Kate, but I think I’ll be wandering around town instead…”

“Going to visit her again?”

“I-I… Sort of. I’m going to go to our old hangout, take some pictures. You know, for old time’s sake.”

Kate’s smile is so soft I feel my gut drop out for having to lie to her. Chloe’s expression softens. _“Hey, we cool, she’d totally flip out and try to like… exorcise me or some other hella righteous stuff.”_

“If you want, I could come with you.”

 _Stop being so nice Kate, please!_ “I-I… Just want to be alone for a bit.”

Kate, ever gracious, nods and leaves me to stare daggers at Chloe’s cheeky smile before remembering that to everyone else I’m trying to kill some ceiling tiles with my gaze _._

Chloe’s head throws back in laughter. _“What, not a fan of me being a scary punk ghost?”_

 _More like a scary punk_ asshole _._ More laughter as I do my best to calmly walk off campus to Chloe’s crappy old truck and turn the key. Chloe for her part is content to lounge in the passenger’s seat and give me pointers on her to drive her old behemoth.

“So… um, how long have you been trying to talk to me?”

_“Like, since I started figuring this shit out. Being a ghost is hella fucking weird.”_

“No shit. And why are you haunting _ME_?”

_“Who else am I going to haunt? And you were always hella fun to mess with.”_

“God dammit Chloe.”

_“Don’t act like you’re not happy to see me.”_

“I-I am, but… I miss you so much, I just... wish it was the real you.”

_“Same, but this is better than nothing, right?”_

“I… guess, but like… it makes it hurt worse?”

_“Shit dude, I guess I could like… go haunt my mom or something.”_

“That would destroy her.”

_“… Yeah.”_

“I don’t want you to go. I just wish I could hold you; you know?”

_“Dude, I can practically read your mind. I know. I wish I could do that too… Also, I would totally fucking wreck you.”_

“CHLOE! DRIVING!”

_“Not my fault you look so damn good.”_

“STOP WATCHING ME SHOWER THEN!”

_“Naaaaaah, plus I know you hella love it.”_

“CHLOOOOEEEE!”

Blissfully, our drive is at an end and I shove out of the truck to wander around American Rust. Chloe floats along beside me, brooding slightly. _“I wonder why Rachel never haunted me.”_

“Maybe the storm was her haunting? Fuck I don’t know. None of that week made _any_ sense.”

_“You’d think I’d know, being the actual fucking ghost.”_

“What if she was haunting Nathan or something?”

_“Ew, gross. I feel all sorry for her now.”_

I just roll my eyes and start looking for shots around the junkyard. Chloe for her part is all too eager to pose. I think back to my first experiments to photograph her, she’d been brooding on a bench and I wasted a lot of film just trying to capture her to no success. I can’t not frame her, it’s like I’m drawn to it. A certain something that only I can see and others seem to notice the absence. Everyone says my work is more melancholic now, because of what happened. If only they could see her, they’d know it’s not true.

The sun starts to crawl lower in the sky as we sit on the boat. Chloe’s incorporeal form sprawled out in my lap, even though I can’t feel her it’s comforting. “But for real. Why are you haunting me, anyways?”

 _“I_ did _promise you that we’d be together forever. I just… didn’t quite mean it like this.”_

“How did you mean it?”

_“Like… fuck I don’t know. Maybe we’d get hitched at some point.”_

“Wait wait wait, go back. You remember that week?”

_“Yeah… I remember most of it. Getting shot all those times really sucked.”_

“S-sorry…”

_“Not your fault, it’s my idiocy that lead you right into Jeffershit’s trap.”_

“I…”

_“Don’t you fucking dare Caulfield. I wanted this.”_

I can’t stop the tears. I didn’t want it. I don’t want this.

_Oh my god Chloe, I’m trying to write an exam right now._

_“Yeah well this class is fucking boring. Why couldn’t you pick a cool major like chemistry?”_

_Fuck off, photography is great!_

_“Also, the answer to question 43 is-”_

_CHLOE NO CHEATING!_

_“Just trying to help dude.”_

_Oh, like you were trying to help when that girl in my linguistics class tried to ask me out._

_“She was totally not worth your time dude.”_

_What, the only one good enough is you?_

_“You fucking know it.”_

She’s not wrong, but that doesn’t help how empty my arms and heart are, and how lonely my bed is at night.

_“Look at little Max, all grown up with a fucking degree and everything.”_

_Jealous much?_

_“Nah, I threw away my chance at higher learning long before that stupid stunt in the bathroom.”_

The commencement ceremony is boring, but at least I have her to keep me company. _You could have still done it…_

_“Max, no. You seriously need to shred that stupid photo before you do something dumb.”_

_Not happening._

_“You can’t throw away all those people’s lives for me.”_

_You know how much I want to._

_“Could you ever forgive yourself? Really?”_

I want to think that I couldn’t. That the guilt would weigh me down forever. I’m not so sure of that.

“Max, you’re almost thirty. Are you sure you’re not ace or something?”

“For the last time Kate, no. I’m… just not looking.”

The look of concern on her face is palpable, I feel my guts twist. How does one tell their friends that they’re practically married to a ghost? “Max, you’re not getting any younger…”

“For what? Having kids was more your thing.”

_“Oh god, can you imagine us as parents? What a fucking disaster.”_

“For having a companion. I know you prefer girls but it’s like…”

“It’s like what?”

_“It’s like I’ve got spooky ghost dibs!”_

_God, you never will grow up, will you?_

_“Hahaha! Fuck no! Forever young in hella hella land.”_

_I think your puns are getting worse with age._

“Like you’re waiting for someone.”

“I…”

“Who are you waiting for? Is it her?”

I have to fight to keep the tears down. “She’s dead.”

“That doesn’t mean you aren’t still waiting for her.”

She’s right and I fucking hate it.

I feel her touch, it’s cold, my whole body shivers from it. _“BOO YEAH, I FINALLY FUCKING FIGURED IT OUT!”_

_I… uh… best birthday gift ever._

“Are you okay Max?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine James. Just… it’s been a long day.”

“Come on, it’s your birthday!”

“I know Amy, but…”

“But what? It’s hard enough to drag you out of that apartment. Live a little!”

“Sorry I’m such a shitty friend…”

“Girl you are NOT a shitty friend. You’re always there for us, you just like to sit in your bubble a bunch.”

_“Listen to the drunk girl Max, live a little and then I’ll show you how cunning a linguist a ghost can be.”_

_You are just the worst, you know that? You figure out how to touch and you want to jump right to that._

_“Tell me you don’t want it so bad right now.”_

“You look awful red Max, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine Kate. I’m totally fine.”

_Chloe not NOW._

_“What? I’m bored, this class of yours is boring.”_

I do my best to keep my composure while her icy touch works over me. _I’M TRYING TO TEACH, GET YOUR HAND OUT OF THERE._

_“What are you going to do, make me?”_

_This is so not fucking fair. Stop._

_“Okay, fine. But I know you love this.”_

_… So not the point._

“Professor, are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Anyways, as I was saying, Louis Daguerre…”

I sip at my tea while we watch Kate’s kids playing in the backyard with their dad. They’re all laughter and energy. The three of us relaxing in the living room. Chloe as usual sprawled out over the couch. She’s got a weird look of effort on her face. “Crazy that they’ve grown up so fast.”

“Yeah, it really sneaks up on you, it feels like last week I was still holding them in my arms… You know…”

I can’t help the pained expression on my face. “Kate, please…”

“For real, she’s got me.”

Both our eyes snap over to her. Kate’s cup drops from her hand as her jaw works in horror. I’m just dumbfounded. Chloe for her part looks amused. “Oh, so you can see me now.”

“M-Max?!”

“I… uh…”

“Sup Katie, I’m totally haunting Max.”

Kate looks so pale I swear she’s a couple seconds from fainting. “Y-y-y-you’re…”

“She’s a ghost… Yeah.”

“Chillax, it’s cool.”

“B-b-b-but…”

“Being dead ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. Totally boring, not my scene.”

“H-how?!”

“It’s a long story, and you probably won’t believe me…”

…

“Y-you can TIME TRAVEL?!”

“Kinda, sorta?”

“Pfft, she totally can, it’s crazy awesome.”

“W-what does that have to do with Chloe being a GHOST?!”

I do my best to sound more confidant about it than I really feel. “Well… I had to make a choice.”

“Y-yeah, you said _that_.”

“Well I made a vow to not forget about Chloe…”

“And here I am! Fuck yeah, score one for us.”

“B-b-but…”

“Chill, I’m not an evil spirit, you don’t gotta exorcise me or something.”

“Chloe stop, we talked about this.”

“Did… You meet God?”

I’d been dreading the question; I freeze up in response at the possibility of Kate’s faith shattering. “I… don’t really know. I died, and then I started seeing and hearing things again. Not so much feeling. It took me like a week to figure out what was going on and actually make sense of it.”

“Then you had to figure out how to stop falling through the floor.”

“Hey! You try being incorporeal!”

“H-how long has this been happening?

“Since… like a week after her funeral.”

Kate’s eyebrows rocket upwards and she pauses. “That… makes a lot of sense.”

“I tried to tell you earlier, but you always freaked out about it.”

“Oh god, did you ever. I think you tried looking for some salt to throw at poor Maxie pad.”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!”

“Well… you must be here for a reason.”

“Fuck yeah I am, I’m Max’s faithful companion!”

Kate’s smile is gentle and reassuring, like it always is. “I think I get why you never found someone else.”

“Y-yeah.”

“Kinda hard with me just floating around.”

“Well… as long as you’re happy together.”

“Yeah, I’d say we are.”

“’til death do you part’ ain't got shit on us.”

“You need to stop scaring people like that. People already think I’m the crazy old lady who lives in a haunted house.”

“Max, you _are_ an old lady living in a haunted house.”

“Shut up. Not my fault you’re the one who stopped aging.”

“Life was kinda wasted on me. You actually went out and did something Mrs. Pulitzer winner.”

I lay back in my rocking chair, just watching out the window as life goes on around our little bubble of infamy. Thankfully things are pretty painless, medicine came a long way. But it can’t stop death, or really bring Chloe back. “I think you would have been great. Maybe even ended up being Dr. Caulfield.”

“Oh, so we were going to take _your_ last name, huh?”

I can’t help the laugh. Even with my old lungs it’s loud and cheerful for her. “No way in hell was I going to be Max Price.”

“… Thanks for not taking it back. I mean it. So many of them lead long and happy lives.”

“What, you haunted them too?”

“Here and there.”

“And I thought what we had was special.”

“It is, I can’t go far from you for long.”

“I wonder what’ll happen to us after…”

“You’ll join me and we’ll haunt the shit out of Kate’s kids. Susan really needs some help these days, she’s having a rough time with that shitty boyfriend of hers.”

“Sounds like a plan, my partner in crime.”

“Can’t wait for you to join me, partner in time.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this goofy one shot. As always comments are greatly appreciated.


End file.
